Humanity's Strongest Family: 聞き分け娘
by Messed-upSaia
Summary: "Ackermans are hard to kill." Was it Humanity's strongest pair? No, not anymore, a little budding warrior adds to the picture and changes their life in deceiving ways. However, Mikasa and Levi shares the struggle between parenthood and duty as their child grows up. Will their bonds grow stronger through thick and thin?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Lions and their Cub**

Her eyes flew open with tremendous drops of sweat running down the small of her forehead, she quickly leaped her foot off the bed and looked under it, and sighed in utter relief. The monster wasn't there anymore. Her night was rough because of it, making her body quite heavy when she rose from slumber.

The gales of the wind made its entrance through her window, the wind spoke for the silence, and the morning chills made her shiver to her legs.  
Her hair spread out behind her like the deepest of the endless night, so black and so thin, her matching grey eyes were like abysses under the rays of the sun, and it didn't look spirited as most children had. Jaded and mellow distinctions can be seen in her orbs.

It wasn't her first time fighting against the darkness, each night she'd freeze her eyes awake just to defend herself from the terrors lurking in the shadows. However, she'd never talk about them with her parents, as she recalled once that they shot her a funny look when she told them she had slain a monster and they told her that it was only a product of her imagination. From that moment and on, she remained silent of her encounters.

As a child, after all, it was normal to mistake the dark with all sorts of trivial horrors. Though she planned to investigate the whole house if her night terrors were real or not, she wasn't a dumb little girl who would succumb in the corner, she was brave like her parents or at least, she tried to be like them.

_Don't they believe me at all? I'm usually in danger at night because I have to fight at all times, and my they don't even know that they lure the monsters too when they leave with the candle, my light when the night came. _But she couldn't tell them that, she didn't want them to think she was weak and that she feared the dark.

The little girl rubbed off the sleep from her eyes after she checked the bed twice if the monster was really gone and then she lazily picked up Lucy from her desk.  
Lucy was a furry brown bear with hollow buttons for eyes. _She never spoke_, she thought the bear was pretty much entirely useless because of that, but she made use of her when she felt unsafe. She'd entangle her arms with the furry little toy and pretended her parents was holding her like that, how she wanted them to stay with her during the times she felt alone.

"You're awake," the door creaked opened and revealed her mom in her usual white apron.

"Yes," she replied, wiping the trickles of sweat off her face. The nightclothes she wore had a disgusting moistness on it and she'd like to get out of it as soon as she ate breakfast, "Good morning," said the girl in a monotone voice.

Her mother approached, her hair dark, long and soft just as hers, swaying side to side as she took steps towards her direction.

"Good morning, dear."

She yawned, "Hungry…" her lips managed to mumble in the drowsiness that almost left her.

"Have breakfast then a bath, you smell of sweat," Mikasa said and the little girl nodded. Her senses were always sharp when it comes to untidiness, but Levi was worse.

"Okay."

So she walked downstairs to do as she was told, her fingers curled around Lucy's furry arm for safety. She decided to be alert even in the morning and not just at night.

In the kitchen was where her father can be found with loads of papers in hand while drinking his usual bitter coffee, he didn't look at her when she greeted him a good morning but he replied quick and stern, "Morning. Eat your vegetables," he pointed his fork at the broccolis and carrots on her plate. "Don't leave a single crumb," Levi's voice was low and deadpanned like his eyes, the bags under it proved he had been a lot busier with work.

"Okay."

She sat down beside her father and she got a little glimpse at the paper he was reading. The girl managed to understand a few sentences among it, but there were words that she haven't heard of or seen but she knew it was about titans.

Her stomach grumbled, she silenced it by eating most of the food on the table in just a matter of minutes. Levi only looked at her with no change to his previous expression while she stared at the last piece of food: the broccoli, she didn't want it, it tasted just as bad as it looked.

"Eat it," he said, taking the vegetable into _his_ fork and attempted forcing it into her mouth, but she covered her whole face. Seeing it already made her stomach twist.

The dark-haired little girl shook her head and tried to call her mom for rescue.

But…

"Eat it," Mikasa said while descending on the set of stairs, not very far from the kitchen.

The two of them weren't exactly joining forces against their daughter, they just so happen to share the same thought on how to deal with their own child.

Wordlessly, she munched the broccoli down her throat and drank lots of water to wash away the awful taste from her palate. Their doubtful eyes watched her carefully as she ate, to make sure she didn't store it in her mouth and spit it out later if they weren't looking. Even the girl that knew she won't be able to leave the table without it in her stomach, but resisting to do so was inevitable for her part.

Mikasa approached the table and took the papers away from Levi's hand, she looked angry, "Don't bring work at the table," she said, putting the stack of paper beyond from his reach. Then she looked at their daughter with worried eyes, "We _need_ time for her. _Now_." The girl only stared and listened.

He gave a slight nod in agreement, "Right, but first," he grabbed Mikasa by the waist and told the almost stunned looking girl to close her eyes and count to ten.

And their docile daughter did as she was told. Her little white palms covered her eyes as she muttered the numbers through her small mouth, "1… 2… 3… 5… I mean 4," she sometimes got those numbers mixed up due to hearing Martin, the son of her mother's adoptive brother count that way. She hoped it'll be the last time to commit the small mistake.

Levi took the chance to capture his wife's thinned lips for a morning kiss, he wasn't just going to agree with her without gaining something in return and she didn't struggle free from his grip in those seconds their lips joined.

She only heard soft muffled sounds from her mother but she continued to count anyway, "5... 6… 7… 8… 9… 10."

Her eyes opened to see that Mikasa already had stormed away out of the kitchen with her face in the brightest shade of red, leaving her with Levi. _What happened to Mom while my eyes were closed?_

Before she could ask, he started the conversation, "How is your archery practice?" he took a sip of coffee and downed it while an expectant look for her respond.

"Fine," her eyes were locked onto his while she held Lucy tightly on her lap, with her eyes half-lidded from the sunlight from the window behind him; it was coming at her eyes and it was quite uncomfortable on her part.

"Are you getting along with Martin?" she frowned at the sound of the name, she didn't particularly like playing with the boy even if Mikasa told her to treat him as her brother like the way she was with Eren. Martin complained about everything of her all the time. He teased she was a zombie or a lame vampire, but even if he did say mean things to her, he'd apologize later and ask her to play with him again. However she found it impossible to comply with the hot-headed boy.

"Somehow."

"How about with other kids?"

"I haven't bothered."

Whatever outside her home was something she wouldn't take time to ever notice or even care. Was she afraid? Of being rejected? Of being casted out?  
Besides, there were barely any kids around their house and if there were, they'd turn out to be too young and she wasn't even allowed to set foot beyond their fences.

"You're as awkward to talk to as your mother," he finally said, lowering his eyes then patted her head gently with his big hand. It gave her a fuzzy feeling in her chest since he rarely talked to her like that.

There was an awkward silence hanging in the air for a few seconds.

"Oh." Levi cocked a brow, he opened his mouth as to speak something important but quickly shut it. The girl wore a questionable look at him, "…?"

"Forget it. I can already see how you'd grow up to be," he mumbled to himself and then stared straight at her, his eyes lowered in a form sadness or most likely: disappointment for a reason the girl couldn't guess. "You need a bath," his arms swiftly swiped her off her seat and carried her to his shoulder, making her drop Lucy to the ground. She was dragged into the bathroom before she realized.

Mikasa was there already, she prepared her bath. Her narrow grey set of eyes followed her until her small toes settled on the tiled floors and her feet absorbed its coldness. It was strange, she usually bathed alone, but here they were, helping her out of her clothes and putting her in the tub as if she was just a baby. She looked at both of them in slight confusion, "Why are you here?"

Levi clicked his tongue and spoke in sarcasm, "Tch, to clean _you_ up, what else." He folded her dirty clothes neatly and placed it on a basket along with the dirty ones.

She shivered a bit when Mikasa poured some cold water over her, she rubbed her eyes, and stared at them again, "I can do it by myself."

"You don't want us with you?" her mother asked in slight dismay with the statement her own daughter had said, she seem to have disapproved of their presence but truthfully, she was only confused with their sudden actions.

"It's not that… I just find it strange that you are both here with me at a time like this," her head tilted to the side, they should had been off to work at this time of the day. She lowered her eyes with slight worry that she may have done something to disappoint them that made them stay and talk to her.

Levi folded his arms to his firm chest and thought for a second then tilted her chin up to face him, "It's your birthday today, don't tell me you forgot?"

"My birthday was last year," her eyes glinted in confusion.

Her parents stared at each other with their lips pursed, as if they were holding some laughter but not. Mikasa held her cheek into her icy and soft palm delicately while her other free hand rinsed her fine soft locks of hair and Levi settling a new set of clothes in front of her, his arms held it out. It was a baby blue dress with a big ribbon nestled beautifully at its back, and its laces were brightly in pink and looked just about her size. Her eyes savored every detail of the small clothing, it was the prettiest she had ever seen.

"Birthdays are celebrated annually, dear," she explained. The girl wondered again, she never ran out of questions of how the world worked.

"I'm born only once, won't there be no point celebrating it again and so on?"

Levi furrowed a brow, "Were you this skeptical as a kid too?" he asked, pointing his thumb at her as he glowered at the woman cleansing their daughter's soft porcelain-like skin with soap and water. He wasn't in the mood in explaining unlike Mikasa who was obliged to do so.

"Not quite," she drew a deep sigh and added, "She's growing intelligently in my opinion."

"I can see that," he closed his eyes and sighed as well.

She only listened to their conversation but her eyes were fixed at the dress.

As soon as her whole body was rinsed off soap and water, Levi lifted her up from the pool of water. His hands were gentle and strong at the same time, holding her delicately as if she was as light as a feather.

Mikasa dried her whole body with a towel, starting from her hair then to the bottom of her legs with a cynical look across her face, "You ought to be grateful to have lived for another day. People die at anytime. Some less fortunate ones die without other people being aware of it, they left the world without anyone knowing they had gone," her eyes were looking at nothing but there was definitely a source from where her subtle feelings came from and then it hit her.  
The words etched at the deepest part of her mind, her memories, and her soul. Her small hand rested on her chest to feel her own heart, she realized she was fortunate to have it still beating within her.

"Okay," her attention caught the baby blue dress on Levi's hand once again, her parents helped her with her new dress and then showed her way to the mirror. Their eyes were glued to her as she was admiring the beautiful gift she had worn, "Thank you," words so bland and soothing in their ears as the girl spoke lovingly.

They didn't know that their seemingly distant daughter could say such words that softened and warmed their hearts instantly. She barely spoke during the mornings and evenings they shared.  
They knew well themselves that they lacked the luxury of time with their precious little girl, they knew little about her and what she normally did during the times they were gone and had left her in the care of someone else. However, that made them curious to know more of this low-spirited girl, and what was causing her to be so plain and seem uncaring about the world around her.

"Happy Birthday, Emily," they said together softly, there were sweetness on their tone despite how they usually sounded. She felt a smile on them. But as she turned, her long black hair twirled with her in harmony, their smile was gone. To her disappointment, she only gathered a fist firmly on the left side of her chest and saluted them as if she was a soldier, and as thanks. It was all she could think of doing.

Their eyes widened by a small fraction and looked at each other again, she began to notice that they usually share the same reactions and opinions at certain times. Did she do something wrong? She felt like she displeased them by doing so, their eyes looked unhappy all of a sudden and for some reason she couldn't decipher.

They knelt in front of her to directly meet her gaze, they took each of her hand with their eyes lowered and calm. Mikasa spoke first, "We don't want you rising up your interests in joining the Scouting Legion."

Her mouth produced a silent gasp.

"You shouldn't even think about it," Levi added, his words crawled with bluntness.

Emily wasn't really trying to object but she actually wanted to join the Scouting Legion someday, just to fight alongside with her parents.

"Why?"

"We don't want to lose you. We can't risk you like that."

Beyond and within the walls was where unpredictable events could happen, there was no way they'd let her be like them, they experienced the cruelty of what the world had offered at a very young age and they would never let their only daughter and treasure be taken away from them.

She glanced at her father who said nothing further, he was as firm as stone with their decision.

"Because you don't believe I'd be strong as you?"

Mikasa paused for a few seconds and spoke again, it seemed like they were having a hard time expressing what they wanted to say to her, but she managed to collect the words in her mind, "It's because we're giving you what we never had," her grey eyes looked deep into hers, holding her hand tight, but Levi's grip was tighter despite being silent.  
"The freedom of living a normal life," she said, then Emily found herself within their arms. She managed to breathe even through the strong yet tenderness of their embrace. They stayed like that for minutes that seemed like forever, she nodded and gave in to their sudden affectionate actions, it felt nice as she returned their loving embrace. They didn't know they've taken her freedom already just by saying that. _I was wrong, they already think I was weak to begin with. _And yet she just did as she was told.

Her cage seemed to have grown smaller.

* * *

**...**

**...**

**okay okay, I know Emily is such a common name, but it still is a beautiful name... I think the meaning behind the name suits her well anyway**

**So yeah, another RivaMika fanfic from me~ hope y'all enjoyed reading through the first chapter :)**

**Do you guys like it? Be sure to review if you want update :) otherwise, I'll just leave this here as it is, boost me ;)**

**oh and disclaimer: I do not own anything (but the fanfic itself), even the cover photo used for this story, however the editing credits for the image goes to me and yeah, that's how Emily looks like in case of you've seen it, she somehow looks more like Mikasa than Levi and a bookworm lol**

**Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Fear**

"Where do babies come from?" her sweet small voice appalled the attention of the dark haired woman showering life on the budding flowers sprouting from the earth. The blooming buds reminded her of Emily, her own little source of joy silently poking the life crawling on a petal with her doll-like finger. Her little girl had grown up to be a resplendent and diligent child, she felt a slight amount of shame in failing to notice it sooner.

Her grey orbs lifted to gaze at the blue painted sky that seemed to be endless from where she stood, its clouds were softly dispersed on its bright hue. Then her thought came to the little girl's guiltless question. It was a nostalgic feeling clouding her memories, it all came back to her in a flash of light. She asked that exact question to her mother too and she would answer the same words, she decided.

"Ask your father. He knows every single detail," her strong hands had plucked a blighted weed caught in sight. It was an awkward subject to discuss that she'd rather not do the bidding of telling it.

"Father told me you would lie by saying that."

"Your father's an idiot. You'll know once you're older," her words were like glaciers melting down in the ears of the child as she met the curious gaze of her daughter.

"Okay."

Her white palm cradled a ladybug, she looked at it in awe on her very first discovery of the insect. She described it as a red wonder lurking in the leaves of her garden. Truthfully, their backyard used to be dull for the eyes, until Emily started planting all sorts of colorful flowers in bright shades of red, yellow, or even orange. It looked livelier with her touch.

Mikasa went on her knees beside her daughter, her small frame for a body made her more determined in protecting her child, she would never lose her, not her. Emily was the blood of her blood, her offspring with the man she loved for years ever since she found the world sickening in ways she never conceived.

"Emily," she called, it felt nice to be able to say her name with a loving sense, "Don't ever think of becoming a soldier," she said once again. The child haven't showed signs of being gifted in combat yet, but she could tell that it won't be soon, "Don't become like us," her hand softly caressed the cheek of the child, her face was so small and looked very fragile, "Ever."

Mikasa and Levi shared the fate of shouldering humanity's grief and fought for their sake even with the remaining of their life span. Each days had passed as if they were sent off straight to their graves when the titans wrecked through the great walls, if it weren't for their exceptional strength they would've died long ago. But they were never safe, no one was.

The girl remained silent and only blinked, Mikasa couldn't guess what her silence meant. Could she be refusing her words? She didn't know what was reeling inside the mind of her own daughter, she was hard to read considering that she was in fact, innocent.

"Okay," she finally said, the word seemed like it was the only word she knew to speak, but it relieved the tension building in Mikasa's mind. As a mother, her instincts were already telling her she'd sway from her promise, but why? She was such a docile child, and yet the feeling of distrust won't leave the pit of her thoughts.

"Promise me," she swallowed and looked intently into her deep grey eyes that mirrored her own, "We're only protecting you."

_I don't want to lose you._

She didn't answer, she didn't want to promise. That was the decision of the small fragile girl in front of her.

"But who will protect you?"

"That's not important," her voice was smooth yet firm, "Promise me," she repeated.

Nothing escaped from her mouth.

Her instincts proved right in no time. What was wrong with this child, she thought. However her decision with Levi was final, Emily would live normally, never letting her set foot in the battlefields, never be offered for humanity's redemption.

They raised the little girl in their own distinctive way. Unlike other parents who'd reward their child when they'd done good, they provide Emily with gifts for as often as they could but for one reason alone: because she was here, because she existed and came to their lives. She proved how beautiful their world can be with a small glint of an innocent smile she rarely showed.

"Lunch is ready," said Levi, his head poking out through the kitchen window, he wore the same white apron that Mikasa had usually worn. Ever since he fathered Emily, he turned out to be a good cook as well, perhaps better than Mikasa.

"Go on Emily. I need to talk to your father alone."

"Oh," she stood from her knees and dusted off the grass on her skirt, and paced towards the house to help set the table.

"What now?" Levi asked with a lazy tone. His beaded eyes followed Emily off.

"What did you tell her when she asked?" She crossed her arms and glared sharply at her husband.

"Be more specific, Mikasa."

"About... making children."

"You knew more than I do."

"That's not true...!" she defended from his small tease.

"Is that really what you want to talk about?"

Mikasa dug her nails into her palms and started to think about no other than Emily and her probable attention into being a soldier. She showed signs of interest from reading books about titans, from learning basic combat movements, and from her parent's success stories in war before, "Why would she have assumptions to join the Survey Corps? Tell me," the feeling of dread crawled into her body like a venomous snake, "Of all people, why did it have to be her?" she sounded as if she was on the verge of weeping, "Our little girl..."

Levi only blinked then answered, "It's in our blood and you can't deny that." Strength ran down their veins and it may be transmitted to Emily naturally. It was an obvious trait that will be passed onto her and not to mention her perceptive mind that became apparent to them or anyone the little girl spoke to.

Mikasa started to raise her voice, "Don't tell me you're starting to accept it."

"I don't want her giving a damn of becoming a soldier as much as you do. There's still time to have her change her mind," his hand took her cheek gently, she was so worried and he didn't want her burdened, "We're not losing her, Mikasa," his voice was soft and sultry just to ease her even just a bit in his touch, "Not for duty, not for honor and not for any kind of bullshit."

Mikasa nodded, "We'll keep her safe."

They knew what it meant when people used to say that joining the military was equal to death, that's why people who aspire to become as one were often discouraged and if not, encouraged for social statuses.

The people of mankind were expecting another hero and they would welcome Emily with open arms. It was obvious, each time they roamed the streets of towns, they eyed her with admiration and hope that she will grow strong to protect them.

However, Mikasa and Levi were willing to tear off her wings just to keep her safe and sound.

* * *

It was that time of the day again, she thought wearily, the time her parents would kiss her forehead with their uniforms on and leave her with the babysitter, as always. Emily gripped on Lucy as Mikasa fixed Levi's usual cravat hanging on his neck, they were going to leave her for hours she couldn't even bother to count and nor remember.

"Nerissa, don't let her go outside without your permission. Keep an eye on her..." Mikasa was at her usual and same instructions again, she never failed to speak them word per word each day before they had gone to work.

The brunette with almond shaped blue eyes and tall stature nodded with a coy smile, "Yes, Corporal Ackerman," she was eighteen of age and lively in her youth.

"Commander Ackerman," she nodded politely at Levi.

"Let's go," Levi said, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. He eyed on Emily once more as they were about to leave, "Be good."

Before they could take a step across the doorway, little Emily took hold of the sleeves of their jacket. She lowered her head and glanced at Nerissa suspiciously then to them. Her voice was a soft whisper that only her parents could hear, "Stay," she almost sounded frightened.

Now they felt like resigning themselves from their positions and stay with her, with just a word, a small request, they didn't feel like leaving her for one second, but that was an impossible task to begin with. If it was so easy to drop their swords they would've done it long ago.

Mikasa knelt down and gently pecked her forehead, "We'll be back," she didn't promise to her but to herself that she'd get her paper works done early to come home as soon as possible.

And with that, they left her bitterly in the care of Nerissa.

"Georgie will come again today," the older girl yawned, "So as for you, stay in your room and don't come out unless I told you so."

Nerissa used to be nice, or so Emily thought, but ever since she'd been bringing the scary man she called Georgie, she turned out to be a tyrant and always kept her locked in her room and she was fortunate that she never raised a hand against her no matter how twisted the words that came out of her mouth can be. She wasn't allowed talk about it with her parents, Nerissa threatened she'd take Lucy and gut it.

"Can I go to the garden instead?"

Nerissa threw herself lazily on the sofa and slumped there.

"Yeah, whatever," she yawned another and mumbled a curse under her breath, "And stop hanging around with that blond brat. He's going to get me in trouble."

"Martin?"

"Sure, sure. Now go do your thing," she closed her eyelids and made her way to a slumber on an early morning.

But then she bolted upright and sprinted towards the door when she heard loud knocks that only she could recognize, "Hell, he's early today."

Nerissa welcomed the man she expected to come in an hour or two. The man stood at the door, dazed but waved at Nerissa who slumped on the couch once again.

Since Emily was given permission to go the garden, she decided to gather her tools from the backyard but she was halted by the familiar strange and tall man blocking her way outside, he was holding a bottle of strong wine, "Excuse me, please," her tools barely stayed in her small arms.

"What 'cha up to, little Emily?" his smile was always predatory and frightening but this time it was worse. And his stench made Emily cover her nose with Lucy's sweet soft scented fur. She was never used to the man's presence.

"Georgie," Nerissa whined from the couch, "leave the kid alone."

The huge man snickered and gave Emily an ominous smile, "Be right there. And I'll see ya in a bit," he laughed to himself.

Emily didn't like it.

* * *

Mikasa sat on her husband's desk while browsing recent reports from Hanji, her fingertip tapped at each tick of the clock impatiently, which was a distraction to Levi who strategized for the next expedition outside the walls.

"You have your own office," he pointed out as he pulled her by the back of her collar and then onto his lap.

She turned to him, her face a few inches from his, "Just let me do my work here, please."

His lips were approaching hers slowly, "Stop overthinking."

Mikasa twisted her head away from him and stood up, "I can't stop it. I just can't," her shivering arms wrapped around herself. She loved Emily so much that she couldn't get her out of her mind and her worries didn't help one bit. Levi sighed, she was on the verge of breaking down into sobs again. Well it was normal for a mother after all and what a father could do was provide his support. She was overprotective to begin with.

"Mikasa, we're already isolating her," even he was aware of what they've done, "She isn't a fucking doll that we could keep in the house forever."

"What are you trying to say? That we should let her join us?"

"Not this again," he complained. He knew she was only being a mother but as the husband it was hard on his part to maintain calm for his own wife, especially when she tended to overthink every single thing.

"Just say it."

"Distract her."

"How?"

"You're the mother, you should think that yourself. Some other activities should do," he suggested.

She thought for a quick second, "I suppose I could teach her how to knit... and everything what my mother taught me," she smiled inwardly at the idea. It should be fun, she thought.

Hopefully that would work on her. Learning about the oriental culture might just distract the girl from her little farce.

"Good call," his lips softly touched Mikasa's forehead.

The day passed on smoothly, their work had been done early and was heading home right away. Their backs ached from sitting around all day signing and reading papers but at least it was a rewarding feeling. They wouldn't show it but they were very excited to come home and play with their daughter.

As they arrived home, they noticed their front door was left open. Their parental instincts rushed right through them, causing them to barge into their own house, except Nerissa wasn't in her usual spot on the couch waiting for them and nor was Emily silently reading books across her babysitter.

Something was wrong.

When they sprinted towards the kitchen, having hopes that the babysitter was only preparing dinner, instead, they found Nerissa lifeless on the wooden floor, bathing in the blood pooling out of her mouth and throat. An unknown man laid cold and dead beside her, and same as her, his throat was in ruins and several more wounds inflicted on the top of his head. The wounds were fresh and there were shattered pieces of porcelain mixing with blood.

They only found two corpses as they rampaged around the house, but still, no signs of their daughter.

* * *

**Really sorry for this late update, I notice the good amount of faves and follows to this story, so thanks! Please review or I won't continue the story. **

Well then, have a great day! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Bargaining**

It felt like the world was falling apart when something or someone precious had been taken away in just blink — that was the grief that had fallen onto Mikasa and Levi's palms once more, except it wasn't a comrade or a friend they missed, it was their dearest daughter. Emily had been missing for about 48 hours and the Military Police's investigations have yet to conclude on the case with the child and the babysitter with her unknown accomplice.

"Get some sleep. I'm sure they'll find a lead," Levi said, reassuring his wife to bed who hadn't slept a wink.

"What if they don't?" she asked, biting her nail in worry, "I can't just sit here and do nothing! I will not wait till tomorrow, she could be in terrible danger. We should've stayed when she told us to..." She vacated her spot on the bed and stormed for the door.

Her husband sighed, he was just as worried as her, especially when the whereabouts of their daughter was still unknown to them, but they had no choice but to rely on the MP's, as leaders of the Scouting Legion, it wasn't in their field of job to conduct delicate investigations themselves. But they were allowed to take part in most search operations.

"You haven't changed."

Mikasa snapped into attention. The way he talked — he sounded calm and collected, not a tone that she'd be pleased to hear in her state, "What?"

"You haven't changed since you were under my command. Always putting up the cold front but when agitated, runs berserk."

"Are you trying to make sense with me? Are you even worried?" she gripped the doorknob, nearly deforming its shape due to her exceptional strength.

"I try to and I am. Emily isn't a fragile girl as she seemed to you, she is a smart girl and we both agreed to that, but even if I knew that..." he reluctantly brought up his hand for his wife to see, "this just wouldn't stop," his hand shook uncontrollably right before her eyes, which was a rare sight, even for Mikasa. He was Humanity's Strongest man after all, and for as long as he lived, he held that title within his grasp. It was the same for Mikasa, they were still stronger than any living human, indeed no one could best their caliber, but their daughter's unbearable absence on their side.

"I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't lash out on you."

Suddenly, loud and violent knocks on the door downstairs broke through the silence about to seep in.

_Meanwhile..._

Abandoned and remote, no signs of other civilization around. It was perfect, but would be an obvious hideout to the MP soon. Two heavily built men dragged their little bodies into a barely forged castle that was hardly used in ages. The children they had abducted were not conscious the moment they rob them off their homes, they gave them a swift smack on the nape beforehand of course.

"George was useless and that bitch too, they should've kidnapped these goddamn kids long ago," said the bald and menacing man who carried Emily on his shoulder.

The blond and composed taller male sighed as he looked over to his partner, "Complain all you want, they're already dead. I don't know what the brats did to them but sure as hell they're worth more than the toll on our heads combined," he explained, carrying a boy on his shoulder effortlessly.

When they had finally settled in the vicinity, they threw the kids at some dark corner, which in return, fluttering them awake. Emily was the first one to have registered what was happening in an instant, her whole body was bound tightly with ropes and her mouth was gagged with dirty cloth. Every move the children made was watched and each time they did so as twitch a muscle, the men would glare and threaten them with guns longer than their arms. The girl was frightened and alarmed of course, but that was at first.

Her muffled screams couldn't reach her parents no matter how loud she tried with her pointless cries. She was scared, fear crawled into her body like poison.

The blond fugitive grabbed a handful of her obsidian hair, raising her up from the roots of her scalp. She whined in agony, "Listen, little cunt. If you want to eat the bullets of my gun," he aggressively pulled the cloth from her mouth until it unwrapped from her cheeks, leaving crimson marks on her fragile skin. "I'll oblige and shoot your brains out, BUT, that would be a blunder. You're useful to us ALIVE. So tomorrow, you'll come home and tell your parents to shit gold if they value the life of your companion there," he gestured to the helpless boy writhing on the ground, he was gagged and had a sack covering his head, "then you'll come back here with cash and leave wih him."

Emily was suddenly silent as she gritted her teeth, "..."

The man slammed her on the ground, nearly breaking her frail body, "Come on, girl. Everybody wins, right?" She felt smaller as he loomed over her.

But she didn't put trust in his words, she decided to believe she was smarter than these numbskulls who abducted them. "You're going to die," she said, her sharp glare sent a frightening shiver on the man in front of her. She was a cornered rat just a second a go, but then she came out jeopardizing. She knew she will be saved, her parents will come soon, all she needed to do was keep herself alive and not fall into the enemies tactics.

But that was no simple task.

The threat she made rewarded her with a kick on the gut. She gasped from the impact, then she was gagged once more with a dirtier fabric, it had an unsettling stench and she didn't want to know what was stuffed on her mouth. The intimidating blond seated himself on a chair and contemplated on how he'd control the dangerous intent coming from the girl, it was frustrating but he had to admit to himself that the girl's change of mood was uncanny. He knew and have seen kids before, they weren't like her, these children were innocent and easy to sway with honeyed words but Emily was smarter for her own good and what more of the boy they found with her?

When the skinhead had freed the other child from the sack on his head and gag on his mouth, they went to convince him next when they failed on their first attempt on explaining the ransom idea to Emily. This time the skinhead did the talking.

"Boy, just do as we say and you won't be harmed. It's a promise," he said in a smooth manner as he kneeled to meet the child's gaze, unlike his partner who was rash with their interest.

The boy only glared menacingly at the older men, "Funny. I'll show you what your spleen looks like when you beaten her up _already_," he glowered and lowered his gaze at bruised Emily who laid helpless on the cold ground. He was angry with himself that he couldn't protect her, how would he face her parents? His dad? He couldn't even save someone from a single scratch.

What the hell was up with these kids? The malefactors thought in unison.

"No point, Tony. These kids don't think straight," said the skinhead, meeting the ferocious gaze of the child.

The boy possessed his father's perilous temper and righteous nature, he also had gotten his deep forest green eyes that betrayed no one, no question that he was the son of Humanity's Last Hope.

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**What, another love child? What next? Humanity's Horseface's (that's Jean, just saying. no offense) love child? LOL why the hell not. Love children of OTP FTW.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I decided to continue on this story and hear the wishes of those who reviewed. Your silence after reading sends negativity in my mind and doesn't motivate me to write an update, it won't hurt to leave an inspiring review to me, ne? **

**Warning, this chapter is rather messed up. Enjoy! **

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**Chapter 4: Home**

Tapping his foot on the ground while vigorously rolling numbers on the telephone's keypad, Eren nearly broke the mouth piece mounted on its stand in half with his tight grip, his rash actions was obvious to the couple seated on a couch behind him. Levi and Mikasa had told him to calm down not long ago but there was just no helping to ease his nerves. "Why the _hell_ are they taking so long to answer?!"

Earlier, Eren had arrived — banged through their door to be exact, he was at his peak of going in the Military Police's HQ and give them a piece of his mind about his still missing son but Mikasa suggested him to make his way to their home instead before he could make things more complicated.

However, no one could really blame him when he was in fact, a single parent which served much pressure on him but he grew used to the hardships eventually.

Eren took on both roles of a loving mother and a protective father, he knew that it was a no easy walk at the park, but seeing his son grow up was much more fulfilling than anything he experienced in his entire life even if it was just the two of them living under one roof. It made him happy after finally having a family of his own. He had a new reason to live for because he loved his son with all his heart and soul, his son was the last precious gift from the woman he fell in loved with.

But his parent role had worsen his temper each time his son was in peril no matter how trivial it may be.

"Sit the fuck down, Eren," Levi suggested harshly, he wasn't a fan of seeing one of Eren's outbursts but there was no stopping him from his raging shenanigans and though he could understand how he felt as a father himself, there were just things they couldn't do in their position. They needed to trust the Military Police.

A few seconds flew by and Eren had his call answered after so many attempts, _"Sir, please calm down, you've been calling us every ten minutes,"_ the man on the other end pointed out, _"As we have said, we'll inform you immediately as soon as we locate your son."_

Before the officer on the phone could say more, his eardrum nearly gave up on him when Eren got more impatient and started raising his voice a notch, "I AM _CALM_. I'M HUMANITY'S CALMEST PERSON!" He continued on complaining at how lax the Military Police was during the crisis.

"That guy doesn't realize that telling _Eren_ to calm down is like telling him to take a shit in his titan form," Levi jested in the background, which earned him a sharp elbow on the ribs from his wife. He clicked his tongue and didn't say anything much further, who knows what that elbow could do next.

"Haa?! Might take another day?!" Eren asked through gritted teeth. Each day without his son was a torture and missing for another day would be the death of him.

Hearing another delayed and failed attempt to find their missing children, Levi snapped into his 'fatherly-worried-instincts' and snatched the telephone's mouth piece from Eren, "You dipshits —"

But before the two men could rage their lungs out at the poor man on the phone, Mikasa had taken their privilege to have their hands on the telephone, she gestured them to take a seat on the couch and so she handled the man on the other line, "I'm deeply sorry for all of that. We won't cause further interruptions on your behalf." With that, she hung up then focused her cold and unforgiving glare at the men with her, "You two are _not_ helping the situation."

Levi only blinked and shot back his rebuttal, "Oh? Was it me who threatened the MP into burying them _alive_ earlier?"

"Then Mikasa, you're no different from us, you know," Eren added but Mikasa gave an empty reaction in return, she didn't want an argument.

His deep green eyes shut tight and produced a soft groan of disappointment, he leaned against the couch and spoke, "I get that there's a possibility of the kids getting taken out of the wall which would take much longer to find them... but not knowing what's really happening to them now... I can't help but easily lose my cool."

He clenched his hands into fists on his lap, his nails digging into his palms.

Worriedly, Mikasa took a seat in between the men, her hand gently squeezed Eren's trembling knuckle. "I know," her voice was also in pain as her face was lowered to hide the small droplets of tears threatening to fall from her glassy eyes. The raven-haired woman still hadn't lost her deep and soft spot for Eren as she attempted to comfort him, but she was married now, even small acts of skin contact with other men was something Levi wouldn't permit, not even for an adoptive brother. Levi eyed them both with his feral and stern gaze, his brows scrunched together and when Mikasa had noticed it, she withdrew her hand from Eren who fell silent in her comforts.

"Lately, the damn criminals are taking advantage of the temporary freedom beyond the walls, they take their loot or victims and make hideouts there," Levi broke through the hanging silence in the air as he stated what he had read in newspapers lately.

Mikasa nodded in agreement, "Should we go there ourselves? I believe we don't need permission, you're in command after all," she said to Levi.

"I see no reason not to, but it's the dead of the night, we won't see shit out there even with torches."

"Let's make a run for it before dawn. We wouldn't want the MP interrupt our own search operations," Eren finally spoke up after he had collected his thoughts.

Waiting for the results from the Military Police was a waste of time, they were only going around in circles, pissing themselves at the idea of crossing beyond the walls to look for the missing children. They had to take their own actions and think outside the box as time ticked continuously with no avail.

It was an hour before dawn when they sneaked into the stables and got onto their horses. The curfew around town made everything smoother, there was no civilian out on the roads except for several polices walking on patrol, but they weren't much of a problem.

Hurriedly, they went straight for the portcullis of the wall and Levi had ordered the guards to lift it up by a fraction just enough for them to pass through to avoid several more noises from its clattering metals.

They would definitely not spare the lives of the criminals who abducted their children.

_Meanwhile..._

"The damn girl bit me when I tried to feed her, do you think she has rabies?" the skinhead fugitive showed his bleeding wrist at his partner, "It's bleeding like _hell_!"

"John, shut the hell up and be on the lookout. I'm sending a greeting message to their parents," the blond and taller man, named Tony stated, "these kids won't budge from where they are. They can't be trusted with the ransom deal."

He side glanced at little Emily quietly watching them from a distance, "There's still time," he smirked savagely at her, almost looking like he'd eat her whole.

"You sure have odd tastes with kids, I'll give you that. I'll be right at the gate," John wrapped some cloth around his bleeding wrist and made his way out, leaving the children with Tony.

Emily had gone alarmed when she heard the door slammed shut behind the grinning fugitive. The man slowly approached her and he looked into her face with hunger in his eyes. Not good.

He lifted her chin with his long index finger and Emily's hateful glare clashed his malicious stare, "You look very similar to your beautiful mom. Very, very _fucking_ beautiful," his tongue flicked out of his mouth and touched her cheek, savoring the youthful and smooth skin of the child. Emily almost vomited, her stomach churning at the torture. When he was satisfied with her reactions, he removed the gag on her mouth to hear her response.

"You'll lose your tongue!" Instead, it was the blond boy who reacted first.

"Shut it, brat. Just watch," the fugitive snickered as he untangled his belt from his waists and throwing it to the ground. And his protruding tent on his crotch was apparent. Emily had noticed it but she didn't know what it was, though it still had frightened the girl, it was a peeking monstrosity to her.

Emily froze as she witnessed the man in front of her unzip his slacks, her lips trembled and so were her limbs. She shifted her frightened gaze to her friend, "Martin..." she pleaded and he only nodded in compliance.

She shut her eyes when the fugitive had released his hardened member, she didn't want to see it, she only hoped Martin —

The boy's grumbling cry resonated in her ears and when she opened her eyelids, Martin tackled Tony to the ground, his small hands squeezing his throat, "Hurry Emily!" the boy struggled keeping the large man underneath him still, "RUN!"

Tony was shocked to see that both of the kids were free of the ropes bound on their wrists and legs all along, wearing the restraints as to fool them. He didn't have much time to think about how they freed themselves when he was about to run out of air in his lungs. He effortlessly pushed off Martin and gathered some oxygen he lost. When he recovered after a few seconds, he finally registered what was happening- his hardened member exposed like a sore thumb and the viciously looking children that circled him like a prey. Tough luck for him, the kids were smart but he was still stronger, or so he thought.

Martin stood up and quickly took out a knife from his pocket that he swiftly swiped on the table earlier, but Emily ran ahead of him, unarmed with any weapons, she launched her small fist at the larger man but the fugitive caught it and squeezed it hard enough to make the girl scream, the cracking of bones was heard. He liked the pain he rendered on her.

Little did Tony knew that Martin had already moved from his very spot. He was gone. Before he could scan the area for the boy, he felt a cold touch around his member and there he was beside him, his other hand with a knife, ready to cut him down. "SHIT!" he hissed and released Emily from his grip to avoid Martin but his wrist was already strained by the girl's small hands to keep him in place.

"We won't hurt you, mister... _much_."

The fugitive could only struggle helplessly as dread crawled all over his body and his eyes followed the knife rose on the air and quickly descended to his shaft, severing it from him in a blink.

He screamed in agony as the pain poisoned his body, Emily released him, her eyes dark and iced, "FUCK! DON'T KILL ME!" He pleaded, his hands covering where his manhood used to be, but his pleas couldn't seem to reach the children.

"I still think he needs to lose his tongue," Martin said.

"I think so too," she rubbed off the spot on her cheek where the man had soiled her skin. They watched Tony writhed on his own blood, "He almost killed us, but we have to leave now." Emily eyed the door, the other fugitive must have heard the ruckus and was now banging the door and tampering the knob open.

"Right. Quick! Through the window!"

The children ran through the woods in hopes they'd find home.

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